The Dallas Mavericks Were Successful in Acquiring Defensive Players, but Grant Williams Has Been a Disappointment

The Mavericks got some important things right last summer, when they were putting together their new squad after the disaster that was the 2022-23 season, in which the team went from finalist in the West to not even playing in the play in. The objective was to put muscle, defense and rim protection on a team that was too light, unprotected in the zones and with a questionable defense because its great stars, Luka Doncic, and Kyrie Irving are not exactly specialists.

The great success, of course, was the lesson of Derek Lively II with the 12th pick in the draft. The center (19 years old, 2.16) was exactly the type of interior (intimidation in defense, finishing above the rim in attack) that the Texans did not have and needed. Also working, as secondary players with more physicality and defense on the wings, are Dante Exum (who returned to the NBA after shining in Barcelona and, above all, Partizan) and Derrick Jones Jr.

However, there is one arrival that seemed exciting and that for now is being a tremendous disappointment: Grant Williams, a player who had been important in the rotation of the powerful Celtics, arrived in a sign and trade operation and signed a four-year contract. years and 53 million dollars. Williams (25) is a small power forward (he does not reach two meters) but tough, with defensive instinct, ability to play in different formats (like four more pure, five in very small quintets…) and good hand from the line of three. In theory, another of those profiles that the Mavs needed to be truly competitive in the West and a level complement for Doncic and Kyrie.

Considered a very important player and starter at the beginning of the season, Williams started well but has gradually faded until he lost his place in the quintet. In his first eight games with the Mavs, he averaged 14 points and 4.1 rebounds while shooting almost 53% from three-point range. What was asked of him. But in the next thirty he has dropped to 6.6 points, 3.4 rebounds and 30% on three-pointers. Insufficient production among criticisms that point to his poor physical preparation, something that was especially noticeable when he had to play long stretches in games.

And the Mavs are looking in the market, before the closing date on February 8, for a power forward: there was talk of Pascal Siakam and now there is talk of Kyle Kuzma, PJ Washington, Jerami Grant… players who raise the level at the four, something that so far he has not been able to do a Williams who is critical of his first months in Dallas: “It’s not going well. And the difficulties are not for anything that has to do with the Mavericks. They have done everything you could ask for to help me, prepare me and make me feel comfortable, at home.”

The former Celtics player does not look for excuses and intones the mea culpa: “It is a matter of understanding the defensive system, how to have an impact even when I do not have the shooting percentages at the beginning of the season. I have had physical problems, but things happen to everyone. I have seen teammates play with injuries for which they later had to undergo surgery. You can’t complain unless you decide to sit your ass down and not play. So I’m going to dedicate myself to playing and giving it my all. You have to maintain discipline, keep working, pay attention to everything that happens. It doesn’t matter your health or what happens, you have to play each game as if it were the last one you are going to play. It doesn’t matter if you are at 100, 60 or 50%.”

In any case, he continues to trust in his outside shot: “That’s going to be good again. I always believe it because, as a shooter, you can’t be shooting 90 or 85% from three-point range in training and have it not translate to the games. “I’m not worried about the attack, just the defense, being the player they want me to be there, regaining confidence.”

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2024-01-22 18:29:32
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